Impulse-coupling



A. D. T. LIBBY.

IMPULSE COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 22. 1920.

1,39% 1% P tenwlm t. fi, 192R HWLWTOR UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

a it OK I). T. LIBBY, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGHOB TO SPLITDGBF ELECTRICAL GOIEE'ANY, 0F NEWARK, n'nw DIPGDG.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 6, 1921.

Application filed October 22, 1920. Serial No. 418,851.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it lrnown that I, ALBION D. T. laser, a citizen of the United States, residing at East Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Impulse- Conplings, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the figures of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to impulse couplings. In starting internal combustion engines .in which the spark for the mixture within the cylinders is furnished by a magneto it has been found a great difficulty has been had in securing a good spark because of the low rotativc speed of the magneto. To overcome this dificulty, so called impulse couplings have been interposed between the engine shaft and the magneto shaft. These devices will throw the armature shaft around with sufiicient velocity to furnish a good spark. within certain limits of low rotative speed of the engine shaft. In devices of this character it has been found that the springs and pins against which the springs bear, which necessarily form inherent parts of the coupling, are prone to break and cause considerable trouble and expense.

It is a specific object of this invention to overcome these difiiculties and to insure a more rugged and durable construction In the drawings which represent one embodiment of my invention,

Figure 1 is an end view of my coupling as mounted on a magneto frame.

Fig. 2 is an interior view of my driven member with the pin of the drive member shown in dotted lines.

Fig. 3 is an interior view of my drive member and Fig. 4 is a View similar to 2, showing one end of the springs under the state of compression, the other ready to take up the recoil.

Now going into detail, 1 is a plate mounted on a magneto, said magneto being provided with a shaft 2 upon which is keyed, as by means of a heyway 3, my driven member 4, Said driven member is provided with two recesses 5-5 adapted to be engaged by pawl 6 pivotally mounted on said plate, as by means of a pivot pin 7. Said pawl being yieldingly urged in either one of two positions by means of a link connection 8 and a spring 9. Within the driving member there is an annular recess 10 in which is mounted the stud 11, provided with two radually disposed surfaces 12, said stud being apertured at 13 for the reoeption of an area ate rod 1% provided with two heads 15, a bumper spring 16 being interposed between the stud and one of said heads. Also disposed within said annular recess there is a compression spring 17, one end of which abuts the other head on the rod and the other end of which bears against a pin 18 mounted in the driving member 19 when the same is mounted in operative position. This pin 18 also has two inclined surfaces 20 similar to the surfaces on the stud 11. The drive member is provided with two slots 21 adapted to be engaged by a shaft driven by the engine. The drive member is also provided with two earns 22 for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

In operation the pawl 6 is thrown so as to engage one of the recesses 5. This holds the magneto shaft stationary. As the engine shaft rotates the drive member 19 rotates therewith, the pin 18 thereof compressing the spring 17 and when the cam surface 22 engages the pawl 6 it releases the same from the recess 5, permitting the spring 17 to expand and throw the driven member around until the pawl 6 engages the next recess. The shape of the pawl and of the recess is such that when the engine starts and comes up to operating speed, the pawl is thrown outward with such force that it is caught and held in the inoperative position.

To check the shock doc to the sudden stoppage of the driven member the spring 16 together with its arcuate rod hereinbefore described have been provided.

As is clearly shown in 4i the initial shock of the stoppage of the driven meme her is absorbed by the bumper 16. Assisting the bumper spring is the compression spring hereinbefore mentioned which has one of its ends resting against one of the heads of the arcuate rod. It can be seen that even should the spring 16 be come broken that the spring 17 will still function to cushion the blow and shock of the driving member. Upon the recoil of the arcuate rod the opposite end of the spring 17 will also act as a retarding agent, and bring the parts gently to rest.

Having I claim is:

1. An impulse coupling comprising a driving and a driven member, a post in'one of said members, a rod slidable in said post, heads on said rod, a bumper spring interposed between the post and one of said heads, a pin on said other member engaging said last mentioned head, and a compression spring abutting said pin and the other of said heads.

2. An impulse coupling comprising a driving and a driven member, a perforated post in one of said members, a rod slidable in the perforation of said post, heads on said'rod, a bumper spring interposed between the post and one of said heads, a pin on said other member engaging said last thus described my invention what mentioned head and a compression spring abutting said pin and the other of said heads.

3. An impulse coupling comprising a driving and a driven member, a post in one of said members, an arcuate rod slidable in said post, heads on said rod, a bumper spring interposed between the post and one of said heads, a pin on said other member engaging said last mentioned head, and a compression spring abutting said pin and the other of said heads.

4. An impulse coupling comprising a driving and a driven member, a post in one of said members, an arcuate rod freely slidable in said post, heads on said rod, a bumper spring interposed between the post and one of said heads, said heads and posts having opposed surfaces normal to the arc of curvature of the rod, a pin in said other member engaging said last mentioned head,

and a compression spring abutting said pin and the other of said heads.

5. An impulse coupling comprising a continuously moving driving member and an intermittently movable driven member, means acting on the driven memberto restrain the same against movement, means on the driving member to periodically free said driven member from said restraining influence, a post in said driven member, a rod slidable in said post, heads on said rod, a pin on said driving member normally positioned to engage one of said heads. a compression spring sprung in between the other of said heads and said pin; said pin, during the period of restraint of the driven member, compressing the spring; said spring, upon release of the driven, member from restraint against mevement, serving to drive the driven member and acting 'in conjunction with the slidable rod and-heads, serving to cushion. theshock' and blow of the pin and its driving member.

(3. An impulse coupling comprising a continuously moving driving member and an intermittently movable driven member, means acting on the driv'enmember to restrain the same againstmovement, means on the driving member to periodically free said driven member from said restraining influence, a post in said driven member, a rod slidable in said post, heads on said rod, a bumper spring interposed between the post and one of said heads, a pin on said driving member normally positioned to engage one of said heads, a compression spring sprung in between the other of said heads and said pin; said pin, during the period of restraint of the driven member, compressing the spring; said compression spring, upon release of the driven member from restraint against move ment, serving to drive the driven member and, acting in conjunction with the slid-able rod and heads, serving to cushion the shock and blow of the pin and its driving member.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

AIIBION D. T. LIBBY. 

